“You’ve just got to go
about your business. You
go about your business and
you’ll be good.”
DZ is a weed dealer, distributing out of his apartment
near the Minnesota State

week.
And while he says he prefers to work off-campus, DZ
would be open to selling in
the dorms.
“If I’m coming to meet
somebody on campus, it’s
gonna be in their room or
something, I’m going to
know ‘em,” DZ said. “I
mean, security ain’t really
tight on campus.”
And he’s not alone.
JX, DZ’s roommate and a
self-described “weed connoisseur” who also wished
not to be identified, says he
thinks weed dealing is big
business on the MSU campus.
“I’d probably say a little
over a third of the campus
smokes,” JX says, “and
they’re not all getting it from
• photo by megan kadlec, illustration by christian hagen the same person. I’d probably
say there’s 50 kids that live
University, Mankato campus. a drug. Weed isn’t really
on campus that sell.”
He’s perfectly comfortable
a drug. It should be legal.
While there are no firm
discussing his trade, even if
I think it’s gonna be legal
statistics for drug sales at
he doesn’t want his real name soon.”
MSU, on-campus drug arin print. As he sees it, his
DZ estimates that he sells
rests are on the rise.
product is safer than other
to about 20 clients, moving a
The school’s annual “Partthings he could be selling.
couple ounces of marijuana
ners in Safety” Campus Fire
“Weed is good,” DZ said.
with each shipment, making
and Safety Reports show a
“That other shit’s bad, it’s
a total profit of about $400 a

steady increase in on-campus
drug arrests, from 23 in 2007
to 49 in 2010. Drug arrests
that went to adjudication increased even more, from 66
in 2007 to 262 in 2010.
“I think it [marijuana] is
being used more,” said Assistant Director of Campus
Security Carol Jensen. “No
doubt about it, we’re getting
more and more calls coming
into us. It’s a trend.”
DZ isn’t worried about any
legal troubles.
“Security came a few
times,” DZ said, “but it’s just
weed. Everybody smokes
weed.”
Drug arrests seem to be
primarily concentrated in the
residence halls, with 35 of
last year’s 49 on-campus arrests coming from the dorms.
“It’s not that common in
the other buildings,” Jensen
said.
“I bought out of Gage a
couple times last year,” JX
said. “It was different people.
You call up one of your
freshman homies and they
know someone.”

staff writer
Students, faculty and
staff gathered Tuesday in
Ostrander Auditorium to
commemorate a Minnesota
State University, Mankato,
student, Josselyn Bishop, who
lost her life far too early due
to domestic violence.
The presentation featured
a wide array of speakers
and videos that paid tribute
to Bishop’s life and raised
awareness of domestic violence.
Bishop, age 19, was found
on a median on North Victory Drive July 8 after being

stabbed multiple times.
Bishop died on the median
moments after she was discovered. Damone Christopher
Williams-Tillman, Bishop’s
boyfriend, was charged with
first-degree murder on Aug.
4.
Guest speaker from the
Minnesota Indian Women’s
Resource Center Peggy Roy
spoke about the process of
healing and the aftermath of
violence. Roy said she noticed
the solidarity in Mankato surrounding Bishop’s death.
“What really gripped my
heart was the sense of community,” Roy said. “What

incredible strength; through
that comes healing, through
that comes action.”
Roy talked about the span
of people that are affected by
domestic violence. Roy said
that women are not the only
victims of domestic violence,
but it is a problem among men
and transgender individuals
as well.
Roy also talked about those
who witness abuse. She explained ways bystanders can
help those who are experiencing intimate partner violence.
“Active bystanders take the
initiative to help someone,”
Roy said.

She said acts such as talking to victims and survivors,
and being open to the things
they say are important steps
in helping them.
A video was featured of
Bishop’s family and friends
telling their stories of Josselyn and what happened the
months before her death.
Another video showed a
reenactment of the moments
before Bishop’s death. A
woman ran with a video camera in the exact place Bishop
ran before she fell and died on
the median.
The video meant to show
the reality of Bishop’s death

and how real these situations
are for the countless people
who experience domestic
violence every day.
The presentations also
aimed to raise awareness of
domestic and sexual violence.
LGBT Center Director and
Interim Women’s Center Director Jessica Flatequal spoke
about the prevalence of violence and what MSU offers
for victims and survivors.
“Last year, there were over
28 people killed in Minnesota because of domestic
violence,” Flatequal said.

Sorry for partying
The truth about student alcohol use at MSU
CASSIE RAYMAN

staff writer
Minnesota State University, Mankato boasts its
student’s minimal alcohol
use but the statistics MSU
uses to represent itself may
not be truly accurate, or even
current.
When MSU students are
discussed, there is often a
mystique surrounding alcohol use. There is a preconceived notion that MSU is a
“party school.”
MSU officials think
differently. In fact, enter a
common area at MSU and
students, faculty and community members can find
readily made statistics presented for all to see on bulletin boards and self-made
mouse pads. These statistics
note a wide variety of topics
surrounding alcohol use at
MSU but after taking a closer
look, these “statistics” are a
thing of the past – literally.
The mouse pads found
near mostly all the computers
located on campus portray
statistics from an official
study done in 2007 by the
American College Health
Association and the National
College Health Assessment
(NCHA). Given the year, it’s
safe to say MSU needs an
update.
MSU officials said that,
although there are drinking
problems in Mankato, the
University is not a “party
school.”
“You might be surprised
to find that most of our
students are not drunks,
although we do have some
significant drinking issues,”
said MSU Department of
Health Science Director Stephen Bohnenblust.
Bohnenblust said that
MSU always rises to the occasion when an alcohol use
problem occurs, yet proposed
solutions do not have a permanent impact.
“After the riots, and also
with some alcohol related

deaths, President Davenport
convened an alcohol summit
with all sorts of recommendations for the university
and the city,” Bohnenblust
said. “That ‘initiative’ seems
to have slowly disappeared.
That seems to epitomize our
response to alcohol issues,
be very concerned for a short
time, and then slowly forget
about it.”
According to Student
Health Services Health
Educator, Lori Marti, the
most recent NCHA statistics
surrounding alcohol use at
MSU were actually taken in
2010. Yet, students may not
be finding these 2010 statistics displayed around campus
for a couple of reasons.
First, given the time
frame, once again these
statistics are not recent.
Second, while these statistics
show similar results as the
2007 survey, the 2010 survey
only had 155 respondents,
a number not nearly large
enough to accurately portray
a student body the size of
MSU’s.
Alcohol and Drug Sanction Education Coordinator,
Carly Hopper said that the
survey is administered based
on random classes selected,
the survey is then given out
based upon whether or not
the instructor of the class
gives permission and then
students of the classes are
asked to fill out the survey
at will.
Although the survey is
completely confidential,
there were either very few
students participated in the
survey or obtaining accurate
survey results had become of
little importance to MSU.
Without current and accurate studies, the truth about
student alcohol use is nonexistent. Finding the truth
elsewhere may be the only
answer for students, faculty
and the Mankato community
looking to delve into the reality of alcohol use at MSU.

In the sociology program
at MSU, student alcohol
use is readily discussed and
studied. One study being
conducted by a group of Sociology majors yielded some
shocking responses from
MSU students. In the study,
MSU students were asked
how often they drink, how
many drinks they consume
when drinking and whether
they considered themselves
a light drinker, moderate
drinker or heavy drinker.
While MSU students were
apt to call themselves either
light drinkers or moderate
drinkers, the responses to
how many drinks they consumed and how often they
consumed alcohol said otherwise. A majority of those
students who considered
themselves light or moderate
drinkers on average drank
two to three times a week
and consumed more than
seven drinks at a time.
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
states that heavy drinking
is defined as consuming an
average of more than two
drinks per day for men and
consuming an average of
more than one drink per day
for women. According to
this definition, a majority of
the MSU students surveyed
in the study were actually
heavy drinkers.
It is important to note
though, the results found in
this particular study were
of only around that of 100
randomly selected students,
which is another sample size
MSU should not rely on to
accurately portray student
drinking habits as a whole.
The study results are also
not final and therefore are
subject to change as more
students are surveyed.
Regardless of whether or
not the results collected by
the sociology class are accurate, MSU does not have
accurate statistics regarding
current student alcohol use.

staff writer
Minnesota State Student
Association learned about the
basic functions of the Behavioral
Consultation Team at Wednesday’s
meeting.
Student Affairs Director of
Student Conduct Mary Dowd and
Coordinator of Drug and Alcohol
Studies Roy Kammer gave presentations on the notable aspects of
BCT and how it can help students.
BCT consists of faculty and
staff with experience of issues
students face.
“We bring years and years of
professional experience,” Dowd
said.
According to Kammer, the
team has five basic functions.
They include: identifying students
of concern, centralizing information, increasing communication,
planning intervention strategies
and providing information back for
those concerned.
“Our main goal is to talk about
students of concern,” Kammer
said.
Students of concern may have
signs of suicidal thoughts, depression, substance abuse or eating
disorders. On the Minnesota State
University, Mankato, website
BCT has a more comprehensive
list of signs of distress. Behavioral
concern intake forms are available
on the MSU website and can be
submitted to dean of students in the

Student Affairs office.
BCT only focuses on students
and not faculty and staff, according
to Kammer.
Roy said that another crucial
part to the team is targeting early
intervention. Roy said a U.S. Secret
Service report showed that many
school shootings have been carefully planned and typically someone knew of the shooter’s intent.
Roy said it’s important to report
any signs students may see among
their peers.
Kammer said the team is specifically for consultations as opposed
to the practices of threat assessment
teams. Threat assessment teams
on campuses address immediate
threats that could be prevented to
ensure safety for students, faculty
and staff.
“Students are often the first to
hear about a friend or acquaintance
struggling,” Dowd said. “If a student isn’t connected with resources
that could be a problem. We want
to overcome barriers of communication.”
Behavioral consultation teams
are growing across campuses
nationwide. Dowd said that stress is
apart of college and some students
need the help of consultation teams.
“Students need to the ears and
eyes of campus,” Dowd said.
Dowd said reporting can help
create a community of care, concern and outreach.

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Voices

T

How do you
www.msureporter.com
feel about
The Kid’s Take: Sandusky, Coffee and Facial Hair
Minnesota
winters?
Thursday, November 17, 2011

compiled by dillon petrowitz

KYLE RATKE

editor-in-chief

We will start this article off by
stating that good old Patrick (bottom of the page to the right) is a
much tougher man than I am. I
would trade four seasons for one
year-long season of 70 degree
weather. I’m the man’s man!
You probably want me to talk
about how the Vikings lost to
the Packers. Or how the Twins
signed a 37-year-old short stop
who has hit less career home
runs than Nick Punto. Or how the
Minnesota Timberwolves will not
be playing this season and my
tickets will go to waste.
Geez, that was a really
depressing paragraph. Wait here
while I pour scolding coffee on
my face.
Let the random thoughts
begin!

1. Jerry Sandusky is a sick, sick
man. And an idiot.

If you haven’t heard of Jerry
Sandusky and the Penn State
football scandal, you’ve been living underneath a rock.
Sandusky has been accused of
sexually assaulting young boys
during his camps and is partly the
reason why Joe Paterno is no longer coaching the Nittany Lions.
On Monday night, Sandusky
was interviewed by Bob Costas.
Here’s a quote from Sandusky
after being asked about his innocence:
“I could say that I have done
some of those things,” said
Sandusky. “I have horsed around
with kids, I have showered after
workouts. I have hugged them,
and I have touched their legs
without intent of sexual contact.”
When has it been alright for
a grown man to shower with
10-year-old boys that do not
know him? Why wasn’t this

Ross wemeen
Sophomore, Business
“I don’t like them because of road
conditions and the cold.”

• web photo
I don’t know who this man is, but he has a neck beard that young men should strive for. He was a good man.

stopped earlier?
Hey Jerry, why are you touching their legs?
If this story doesn’t make you
sick, you have no soul. During
the interview, Sandusky sounded
like a defeated man. Whoever
advised Sandusky to do that
interview, was clearly wrong.
Sandusky sounded guilty and
perverted.
What he’s done is unforgiveable and those kids have had to
live with this silently and will
struggle with this throughout
their lives.
While this situation is definitely much bigger than the game
of football, Sandusky ruined
the legacy of Paterno. Should
have Paterno immediately called
the police? Absolutely, but if it
wasn’t for Sandusky and his sick
mind, he wouldn’t have been put
in that situation.
Mr. Sandusky, you’re pure
scum. Now, onto some lighter
stuff.
2. COFFEE!!!!! AHHHH!!!!!
I’ve been one to bash coffee
drinkers throughout the years. It
makes your breath bad. It tastes
horrible. It stains teeth. It’s only
good with three pounds of sugar

and three bottle of half-and-half.
Here I am four cups down
before 1 p.m. What’s happening
to me?! My hands are shaking.
Are we sure there’s not cocaine in
this stuff?
Judging by the look on my
face after drinking it, you’d think
I was drinking urine instead of
a drink enjoyed by millions of
people.
Here are a few random
thoughts about this coffee drink
I’ve recently become addicted to:
A. I am a big fan of the zero
calorie sugars and creams to put
in it. I don’t feel as bad after I put
six packets of sugar in per cup.
B. What is the point of decaffeinated coffee? Isn’t that like
drinking non-alcoholic vodka?
That’s the dumbest thing I’ve
ever heard. Is someone out there
drinking coffee just for the taste?
If so, I think you’re about as
crazy as this Patrick guy.
C. Is the lady who was burnt
by McDonald’s coffee still alive?
Where is she now? Does she still
drink coffee? Does she have any
pets? Can we please get a Netflix
documentary about her? I NEED
ANSWERS!!!

3. I have a neck beard. It’s
gross.
No-Shave-November isn’t for
everyone. It wasn’t for the guy in
the photo above, and it’s not for
the guy writing this article.
I’m 17 days into this no shaving thing. To say I have facial
hair would be generous. I have
neck hair and a weird amount of
it at that. If you’re throwing up
right now picturing this, that’s
alright. I accept it.
But now I have to make a very
crucial decision: Do I shave the
neard (neck and beard combined.
See what I did there?), or do I
keep it going and see how horrible it can look come December?
Currently, I’m leaning towards
shaving it tomorrow. Maybe I
won’t. I was told Tuesday night
that it made me look like I was 18
years old as opposed to 14. I’m
still not sure if that was a compliment or not.
I’m the man’s man, damn it!
That’s all I’ve got this week.
As always, thanks for reading and
enjoy your weekend.
You can follow Ratke on Facebook @facebook.com/thekidstake
or on Twitter @Kyle_Ratke.

ANETA OGLEZHEA
Freshman, Mass media
“This is my first year in Minnesota so
I don’t know much about winter here.

NATHAN EBEL
Sophomore, German
“I don’t like the bad roads, but I like
to snowboard.”

Patrick nielsen
Sophomore, Undecided
“I tolerate them because I enjoy the
contrast of four full seasons.”

POLICIES & INFORMATION

• If you have a complaint, suggestion or would like to point out an error made in the
Reporter, call Editor in Chief Kyle Ratke at (507) 389-5454. The Reporter will correct any
errors of fact or misspelled names in this space. Formal grievances against the Reporter are
handled by the Newspaper Board, which can be contacted at (507) 389-2611.
• The Minnesota State University Mankato Reporter is a student-run newspaper published
twice a week, coming out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Reporter generates 78 percent
of its own income through advertising and receives approximately 22 percent from Student
Activities fees. The Reporter is free to all students and faculty, but to start a subscription,
please call us at (507) 389-1776. Subscriptions for the academic school year are $35.00 and
subscribers will receive the paper within three to five days after publishing.
• Letters exceeding 400 words may not be accepted. The Reporter reserves the right to edit
letters to fit space or correct punctuation. The Reporter reserves the right to publish, or not
publish, at its discretion. Letters must contain year, major or affiliation with the university,
or lack thereof. All letters must contain phone numbers for verification purposes.

Minnesota
Newspaper
Association

Thursday, November 17, 2011

News

MSU Aviation
flying under
the radar
JANAY HENRY

staff writer
Right here at Minnesota
State, Mankato there’s a gem
that deserves a little more
shine than what’s been given to
it, going unnoticed within the
general student population.
The MSU Flight Team,
sponsored by the Department
of Aviation, competed in a
regional competition this fall,
and now it has risen to the top,
winning a spot in the 2012 National Competition next May in
Kansas.
This is the first time in 10
years that this team has been
able to win a seat to compete
in the National Competition.
Struggling to rise as high as
North Dakota, who is said to
be like the “Yankees” of Flight
Teams, has been a difficult
task. However, it’s not the
skills that are lacking – it’s the
funding.
The Flight Team, comprised
of 13 students and staff, has
competed all around the state
in precision landings, message

• web photo
The Flight Team competed in regionals this fall and now will have
the opportunity to attend nationals
in Kentucky. Despite their success,
the Aviation program may be cut
due to funding issues.

$10-$11 to start

(target) drops and precision
navigation, within the flying
events.
The team also competes in
numerous ground events, such
as aircraft recognition, computer accuracy tests (aviation
calculus and algebra) and an
overall aviation knowledge
test called SCAN (Simulated
Comprehensive Aircraft Navigation) which is probably the
toughest says senior student
Kyle Jacobsen, captain of the
Flight Team.
“We are very excited but the
biggest thing is funding. We do
a lot of our own fundraising.
We pay for our practice time,
and you can guess anything
with an airplane involves lots
of money,” Jacobsen said.
Even though the aviation
department and flight team
have partial funding, they still
fundraise “Out of the money
we raise, we help pay for the
aircraft rental, otherwise it gets
to be highly expensive. I think
we raised anywhere between

Flight team / page 7

Reporter • Page 5

JOSSELYN BISHOP “Now is a good time to have these
conversations. We need to take it upon ourselves when we
see something that is not right.”
continued from 1

• web photo
Josselyn Bishop, age 19, was stabbed to death by her boyfriend in July. A recent event brought light to her
death and how to stop domestic violence.

Flatequal said many acts of
violence go unreported.
“To imagine the real
numbers are too hard to even
think about,” Flatequal said.
“We need to continue to
advocate.”
“National statistics show
one in four women will experience violence in their lives,”
said Associate Vice President
of Student Affairs and Enrollment David Jones. “Now is a
good time to have these conversations. We need to take it
upon ourselves when we see
something that is not right.”
Violence Awareness and
Response Coordinator Laura

Schultz spoke about the services the Violence Awareness
and Response Program offers
in the Women’s Center.
Schultz said Violence
Awareness and Response
Program offers confidential
and free services for those
affected by violence.
“There’s so many of us on
campus to help you. I’m just
one of them,” Schultz said.
A representative from the
Counseling Center in the
CSU said it offers students
support through a limited
number of free sessions with
counselors.
One of Bishop’s roommates

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read a letter from Bishop’s
parents. In that letter, Bishop’s parents said, ‘We want
you to remember not how she
died but how she lived.’
The event concluded with
a video of a song that honors
Bishop’s life. It highlighted
the notion that Bishop will be
remembered for the woman
she was and not her tragic
death.
“What happened to Josselyn is nothing less than a
tragedy,” Schultz said. “Our
ultimate goal is to end domestic violence. Just imagine
what the world would look
like without violence.

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Advertisement

Thursday, November 17, 2011T

Thursday, November 17, 2011

News

A taste of Europe

MEGAN KADLEC

news editor
While most cultural associations at Minnesota State University, Mankato have an annual
cultural night, the EurasianEuropean Student Association is
planning its first ever Eurasian
night for Saturday in the Centennial Student Union ballroom.
In the first years of the organization, the group only included
only students from countries in
the former Soviet Union, however, the group has expanded their
membership to include 20 different countries across Europe.
“We were thinking that we
have a lot of students from West
Europe, like, ‘Why don’t we include them in our organization?’
since we are a European organization,” said EESA President
Sanda Brighidin.
“We seem to have students
from those regions who are interested in coming to MSU, and I’m
really glad we have an organization for them,” said EESA
Advisor and education professor
Elizabeth Sandell.
Sandell said she has a long,
but not personal association with
the countries of Eastern Europe,
specifically Russia. She has been
visiting Russia since 1996, and
when she came to MSU in 2005,
she wanted to connect with Russian students.
“European students didn’t
necessarily have an organization
to belong to,” Sandell said.
Sandell said she is mystified as to why there was never a
student cultural association that
included European individuals
before 2006.
“Maybe it’s because they’re
not here very long,” Sandell said.

• web photo

“Maybe they’re here for one
semester as an exchange student
and then they go home.”
Regardless of the reasons for
the lack of a European student
group on campus, the organization has begun to spread
its wings and become more
involved with the community.
“I think it’s an indication that
the group is maturing as an organization,” Sandell said. “I think
in the past, they’ve had really
good relations with each other
and it’s not the first thing they’ve
ever done, but it’s the biggest.”
Sandell said that the organization is student-driven.
“I’m just an advisor. I just
show up and facilitate,” Sandell
said. “It’s really the student’s
goals. I think they’re really excited to show their cultures and
explain it to people.”
“I cannot give you a lot of
details because you have to come
there and see them, but we’re
going to have food and we’re
going to have performances,”
Brighidin said. “What else can I
tell you that isn’t secret?”
While Brighidin wants to
keep many elements of the event
a surprise, she said that the purpose of the event is to feature the
many diverse cultures of Europe.
“When I meet a lot of
students they tell me, ‘Oh, my
grand, grand, grand parents are
from Norway, Sweden Poland,’
different European countries,
and they’d say, ‘Well, I don’t
know anything about that
culture,’” Brighidin said. “So,
we are giving them an opportunity to [experience] not just one
culture, but 20.”

Students who attend the event
can expect to learn about the
cultures of these many European
countries, though incorporating
such diverse nations in the event
was a challenge to the organizers.
“The biggest challenge was
including every culture in the
night because they’re so different
– each and every one,” Brighidin
said. “How do you incorporate
20 countries in three hours? You
give them a recipe, a dance, a
song, you give them an image.
That’s how people will know
about that country.”
Brighidin and Sandell both
said that the event will feature
music, dancing, fashion and
food.
Brighidin said that she wanted
to leave her mark on the group,
but that was not her sole motivation behind planning the event.
“It’s not about me, of course,
but it’s about our group,”
Brighidin said. “It’s the time to
have this opportunity to show
ourselves to the community of
Mankato and MSU.”
Brighidin, originally from
the Republic of Moldova, chose
MSU after a family friend attended the University. She said
that it was easier to make the
move because she at least knew
one person.
“I came here almost four
years ago as an international student,” Brighidin said. “I always
wanted to come to the United
States. I knew one day I would
be here and it didn’t matter how
or when.”
While the EESA is exclusively composed of international
and exchange students, Sandell
hopes that other students attend
not only Eurasian night, but also
become involved in any one of
the cultural organizations MSU
has to offer.
“I think as it is the case with
other student organizations,
other students are invited to
participate, so for the EESA
membership, I think they would
welcome students of other countries,” Sandell said.
Student tickets for the event
are $6 in advance and $8 at the
door. The event will begin at 6
p.m. Saturday.
Sandell said she wishes
students from Minnesota would
take advantage of the many cultural events sponsored by MSU,
whether it is for her organization
or the Vietnamese American
Student Association.
“I feel bad about that on
behalf of Minnesota, you know,
domestic students, because we
miss an opportunity,” Sandell
said. “Here the world came to us.
Maybe we should get to know
the world while they’re here. It’s
cheaper than travel.”

Reporter • Page 7

FLIGHT TEAM “We will be the last
major Aviation program in the state
and I think that is where we will get
a lot more students.”
continued from 5
three and four thousand dollars, this year. To go to Nationals we are estimating close to
$10,000 that we need to raise,
and [it] is pretty much what
most of our time is devoted to.”
The team has been in talks
with MSSA, President Richard
Davenport and people from
the community, to find ways
to gain support for the Aviation program and ensure that it
keeps running.
“I am excited and encouraged for the program to move
forward,” said Joel Pat McKinzie, the Assistant Professor of
Aviation.
The program is on a couple
years probation, and this year
is the largest freshman class, as
far as new students goes. The
program is on the increase and
also in the process initiated
by Jason Ceminsky, both the
Flight Team Advisor and Adjunct Professor for the Aviation
department, to bring students
in from China.
Other aviation programs

face the same problems. For
example, St. Cloud State University’s Aviaton program is in
its last year. It will finish out
all of their graduating students
and close the program due to
funding.
“We will be the last major
Aviation program in the state,
and I think that is where we
will get a lot more students,”
said Jacobsen.
Attending our own classes,
as students, and even while
working in our own departments as staff, we forget all
that MSU has to offer. Many
students said that they either
didn’t know there was a Flight
Team, or that there was an actual Aviation program offered
at our college at all.
When asked about the Aviation department senior student
Sarah Preus said, “No, I just
knew they had an Aviation
department but a Flight Team,
that’s pretty neat, and great for
the students to get hands on
experience.”

Expires 12/08/11

Page 8 • Reporter

News

Thursday, November 17, 2011

All I want for Christmas is a... Cold?
Flu prevention, treatment and whether or not to skip class
JENNA WENDINGER

staff writer

Once again, Minnesotans
have started digging out
winter jackets and piling
on the layers as whispers
of snowf lakes begin to
circulate. Unfortunately,
snowf lakes are not the only
things that circulate in the
winter. Colds, sore throats
and the f lu are passed between students like unwanted presents.
There is a common misconception blaming the cold
weather for the increased
number of illnesses we see
during the fall and winter
months. In fact, the true culprit is spending more time
in close proximity to each
other in dorms and classrooms and less time getting
fresh air outdoors.
According to Dr. Hurd at
Minnesota State University,
Mankato Student Health
Services the average Minnesotan will catch six to eight
viral illnesses per year. It
will do little good to treat
these viral illnesses with antibiotics so it is important to
practice prevention strategies to stay in good health.
Since we have all heard
the long list of prevention
strategies before, I went on
the prowl in the Centennial
Student Union to see which
strategies MSU students
will be practicing this winter to stay healthy.
Nicole Marella and
Amanda Weinhandl were
able to ramble off a long list
of good health strategies
including drinking orange
juice, wearing mittens
and warm clothes, getting enough sleep, washing
hands often, carrying hand
sanitizer and even added not
kissing strangers to their
list.
Other students recommended similar strategies
including exercising often,
eating right, and coughing
into your sleeve not your
hands.
Dr. Hurd spoke to another
important prevention strategy this winter, getting a f lu
shot. The f lu shot is available to students, faculty and
staff at Health Services for
just $20. While the f lu shot
is not one hundred percent
effective, it could prevent up
to a week filled with body
aches, headaches and a 103
degree fever.
How does the f lu shot
work? The f lu shot helps
build up the immune system, so when exposed to the
f lu virus individuals can

either ward off the virus
completely or decrease its
length. Unfortunately, the
f lu shot is only good for one
year since the virus continues to change.
Dr. Hurd also shed some
light on the common misconception that f lu shots
make people ill. He explained most people do not
have any side effects from
getting the f lu shot. Some
people, however, may get a
small fever and feel sick for
a day as the body is working
hard to build up the immune
system.
So what if practicing all
the prevention strategies
doesn’t help and you still
end up sick? The best practices to follow when sick
include getting enough rest,
drinking lots of f luids and
alternating ibuprofen and
acetaminophen, according
to Dr. Hurd.
It is also just as important to practices those good
health strategies after getting sick. Make sure to wash
hands frequently, sneeze
into your sleeve and get a
recommend nine hours of
sleep per night.
Every year students battle
the question of missing class
to stay home sick or attend
class and risk spreading
germs. So when is it okay
to spend the day in bed and
when should you come to
class?
Students and teachers
both agreed the importance
of the subject matter is a
big deciding factor when
it comes to missing class.
Most teachers also asked
students to do them the
common courtesy of contacting them if they will not
be in class.
“It is not about sickness.
It is about learning. Can you
demonstrate that you have
learned whatever the course
requires?” said history professor Gretta Handke. “You
can certainly learn without
being in class but you still
have to demonstrate that
fact in order to earn credit
for the course.”
Students did express their
frustrations when it came to
proving doctor’s notes for
classes with strict attendance policies.
“If they require a doctor’s
note, I’m not going to go to
the doctor every time I’m
not feeling well especially if
it’s just a fever,” said MSU
student Amanda Weinhandl.
Students often think
teachers are strict about
attendance policies because

• web photo
Should students skip class when they’re sick to avoid spreading the illness to others?

they think college students
often fake being sick to
avoid going to class.
When asked if they had
ever skipped college classes
by faking illness, student’s
responses varied. Some
students were appalled by
the idea, stressing how important it is to attend class,
while other students admitted to faking illness more
than once.
Do teachers think students are trying to fake
being sick to avoid class and
assignments? The response
was uniform.
“I tend to believe my stu-

dents when they say they’re
ill,” said mass media professor Ellen Mrja.
The one thing that students and teachers could
easily agree on was if
someone is sick they should
stay home until they are no
longer contagious.
“If it is contagious stay
home, but if it is just a cold,
come to class,” said corrections Stacy Grosinger.
Dr. Hurd also weighed in
an unbiased opinion about
staying home sick verses going to class.
“Missing class really
doesn’t help you but as long

as you are getting good rest
go to class. But be careful
to keep a safe distance (six
feet) and do not sit right
next to someone and wash
your hands. Colds are common! This age group averages two to four colds per
year in Minnesota,” said Dr.
Hurd. “So unless you are
having trouble focusing and
it doesn’t pay to go [to class]
staying home really doesn’t
benefit you.”
With the right health
practices and good communication with teachers,
a worry free winter is right
around the corner.

Sports
Thursday, November 17, 2011
www.msureporter.com/sports

MSU SOCCER: Junior forward Brittany Henry and junior midfielder Brianne West were named to the
Daktronics NCAA Division-II Central Region First Team after leading the Mavericks to the second round
of the NCAA tournament last weekend. They were joined by junior forward Nicole Dooher and freshman
goalkeeper Molly McGough, who each earned Second Team All-Central Region honors.
MSU FOOTBALL: 14 Mavericks took home All-Conference honors, with six players on the NSIC First Team,
three on the Second Team and five Honorable Mentions. The first-teamers were QB Jon Daniels, OL
Cordell Bell, LB Marcus Hall-Oliver, DE Chris Schaudt and WR/KR Dennis Carter.

It takes time and effort to
build a winning tradition at any
college program. Whenever a
program finally gets over the
hump and becomes a perennial
contender, people often like to
look back and reflect upon when
the foundation for success was
laid.
This season’s Minnesota
State, Mankato women’s hockey
senior class, including captains
Ariel Mackley, Moira O’Connor
and Jackie Otto, might go down
as the group that first experi-

enced the turning point for
women’s hockey in Mankato.
The Mavericks appeared
North Dakota
to be heading in the right
When:
7:07 p.m. Fri. and Sat.
direction back in 2003-04,
when the program had its first Where: Grand Forks, N.D.
winning season under Jeff
Vizenor. Vizenor struggled to
their rookie seasons. The team
win after that, stepping down
finished out the season pretty
as head coach midway through
much without a head coach.
the 2008-09 season, the first
“We really didn’t have a head
with the program for this year’s
coach,” said O’Connor. “We had
senior class.
some talented players, but we
The group had every reason
lacked leadership and structure.”
to be angry and uncertain, as the
Things changed that offseacoach who had recruited them to son when Eric Means, who had
play at MSU bailed on them in
been an assistant on the MSU

UP NEXT

men’s team, took over as the
third head coach in program
history.
“You can tell Means just
knows his hockey more than
anybody we had before him,”
Mackley said. “He has made us
realize that if we play hard and
play as a team, good will come
from it.”
“Means just demands a lot
more from us and has more
confidence in us and what we
are doing,” said O’Connor.
Mackley is from Minnesota,
playing her high school hockey
at Burnsville, and has played

both forward and defender
for the Mavericks. O’Connor
(forward) and Otto (defender)
are both from Illinois. The trio,
along with seniors Alli Altmann,
Emmi Leinonen and Jenna Peterson, leads a roster that is full
of young talent.
MSU is off to a 5-7 start this
season, and is 1-5 early on in
WCHA play. The Mavericks
have a good mix of veterans
and underclassmen, who all see
substantial time on the ice. This
has created a good competitive
atmosphere in practice because

PREVIEW / page 10

Page 10 • Reporter

Sports

BREAKING DOWN MSU
Lee Handel • sports editor

Front Line

SMITH

The Mavericks are deeper at the forward position
this season than in any other under head coach
Eric Means. Junior Lauren Smith leads the team
in both assists (8) and points (9). She is joined
by senior Emmi Leinonen, who also has nine
points on the season. Sophomore sensations Kari
Lundberg (9 pts), Lauren Barnes (8 pts), Kathleen
Rogan (7 pts), Nicole Germaine (6 pts) and Tracy
McCann (5 pts) also see a lot of ice time and
make up a nucleus that has the potential for big
things at MSU. Junior Lauren Zrust (7 pts) also
contributes a lot up front. Seniors Ariel Mackley
and Moira O’Connor do not carry much of the
scoring load, but have done a great job leading
this young group. Rogan leads the team with six
goals. Senior Jenna Peterson and freshman Kara
Power also figure to contribute for MSU.

weekend in which it split an intense home series against WCHA rival St. Cloud State. The
Mavericks took the first game of the series 4-2, but lost the second game 3-2. In the first game,
the Mavericks kept their recent offensive surge going by scoring four goals, two of them in the
second period. The MSU defense also held the high-scoring Huskies to only two goals in the
contest, with senior goalie Austin Lee snatching 34 saves for the Mavericks. The second game
of the series went quite differently. The Huskies started off the game like any team wants
to after losing a game, scoring early and often. SCSU scored three goals in the first period,
including two in the first two minutes of the game. That’s all it took to win 3-2, as the comeback attempt fell short for the Mavericks because they simply ran out of time. Junior forward
Eriah Hayes led the Mavericks last weekend, tallying two assists in the 4-2 victory and scoring a goal in the second game.

HISTORY: It’s always tough going up to Duluth for a weekend series against the UMD

Bulldogs, and lately the Mavericks haven’t had it easy against the defending NCAA Champions. In the previous two seasons, the Mavericks have posted a 1-5 record against the Bulldogs.
The lone win came last season when MSU split a home conference series in February against
the eventual NCAA champs with a 3-1 victory in the opening game. Hayes had a goal and Lee
had 40 saves in that victory.
OTTO

MSU NOTES: The past few games it has been easier for the Mavericks to put the puck in
the net. In the last three games the Mavericks have scored 12 goals, with six of them coming
in a win against Michigan Tech. Another plus for the Mavericks is the injury bug is starting to die down. They haven’t had any players get injured the last two weekends, and they
welcomed back sophomore forward J.P. Burkemper and freshman forward Max Gaede.
Burkemper got an assist and a goal in his first game back in action in the victory against
St. Cloud. The Mavericks are also coming off a good weekend on special teams. They didn’t
allow a power play goal, scored on a power play of their own and recorded two shorthanded
goals in the two games against SCSU.

UMD NOTES: The reigning champion Bulldogs are coming into this weekend’s matchup

BUTTERS

OUTLOOK: The Mavericks are currently 1-5 in WCHA play and in seventh place out of
eight teams. That being said, this team is talented enough to beat any team in the league on
any given night and has the goaltending to hang with the top offenses in the WCHA. If the
Mavericks defend their home ice for the rest of the season and beat the teams they should, a
fifth-place finish is not out of the question.

PREVIEW

Joey Denton • staff writer

RECAP: The Minnesota State, Mankato men’s hockey team is coming off an encouraging

Netminders
Senior Alli Altmann has had a solid career in net
for the Mavericks and is the starter this season.
Sophomore Danielle Butters has also played
well when given the opportunity this season.
Altmann has gone 4-4 in net so far, while Butters
is 1-3 despite an impressive 2.21 goals against
average. This position is a strength of the team.

Blue Line
Senior Jackie Otto is serving as an assistant
captain this season and has one goal, three
assists and four points for the Mavericks from
the back line. She is joined by junior Emilia
Andersson, who is perhaps the Mavericks most
lethal threat on the power play and has three
goals this season after recently playing for the
Swedish National Team. Junior Erika Magnusson
is the primary backup to Andersson and Otto,
but sophomores Elisabeth Hewett and Danielle
Scholzen also will log time on the blue line this
season. Freshman Shelby Moteyunas should
start here in the future.

Thursday, November 17, 2011T

tied for second place in the WCHA with a 5-2-1 conference record, with their only two losses
coming against the first-place Minnesota Golden Gophers. Two of their wins came from a
sweep at home last weekend against Alaska Anchorage by scores of 5-0 and 3-1. As a team,
the Bulldogs are tied for third in the WCHA in goals scored per game with 3.67, led by senior
forward Travis Oleksuk and his conference-leading 11 goals this season. The Bulldogs are
also pretty solid defensively. They are second in the conference in goals against per game with
2.33.

PREDICTION: The Mavericks have been really improving these last two weekends, get-

ting a win at ranked Michigan Tech and at home against the Huskies. Key players are coming back from injury and that has helped them a lot on both sides of the ice, but going up to
Duluth is always tough and the Bulldogs haven’t lost a game the last four weekends. It will be
quite an accomplishment for the Mavericks to get a win up there.

continued from 9

every player knows that playing
time is up for grabs.
“Just the pace of practice
[has changed],” said Mackley.
“Everyone is going hard. This
isn’t maybe the most talented
team since we’ve been here, but
this team works the hardest.”
The seniors also think this
season’s squad gets along better
than any other since they’ve
been at MSU, and note that all
24 girls generally get along,
which wasn’t always the case in
the past.
“In the beginning of this season we have done a lot of team
gathering things that have made
us closer,” Otto said. “We are
not afraid to make mistakes on
the ice and we pick each other
up whenever we do.”
The program has had some
pretty big wins and moments
during the last few seasons,
none bigger than last season’s

series in North Dakota against
the Fighting Sioux.
The Mavericks lost the first
game 1-6, then rebounded the
next day with a 5-3 win that included a bench-clearing brawl in
the closing seconds. Given their
fierce rivalry with the Sioux, the
girls will always remember that
game.
Other highlights for the trio
include upsets of Wisconsin,
Minnesota-Duluth and Bemidji
State.
“Beating UMD on the weekend of its ‘Decade of Dominance’ celebration was pretty
cool,” O’Connor said.
But one win that has dodged
them is defeating the Golden
Gophers of Minnesota, which
they can still accomplish later
this season.
“I just want us to finish with
a winning record and sweep the
teams we know we should,” said

Mackley. “I think the top teams
know that they can’t just show
up and beat us anymore.”
The seniors know that life
in the WCHA is tough, but they
wouldn’t want to be in any other
conference.
“Its by far the most competitive league, nothing compares to
it,” Otto said.
The girls enjoy being Division-I hockey players and take
pride in how far they have come.
“It’s what you work for,”
said O’Connor. “We want to be
known for starting the change of
women’s hockey at MSU.”
Many moments off the ice
will also be cherished by the
seniors, such as the team’s
paintballing trip and recent Halloween party.
“We pretty much spend every
day and hour together,” Mackley
said. “This team is like a second
family to me.”

Thursday, November 17, 2011
Volleyball

Mavericks face familiar foe

Seventh-seeded MSU must figure out a way to
beat second-seeded Concordia to extend its season.
REECE HEMMESCH

staff writer
For senior setter Brittany
rounded out the season winning
Stamer and the Minnesota State, their last five games, including
Mankato volleyball team, this
a sweep of the No. 1 at-the-time
weekend’s NCAA Central ReBulldogs.
gion tournament is about a few
So, for the second weekend
different things.
in a row, MSU finds itself in a
It’s about ending her senior
win-or-go-home atmosphere
year and career on a high note
against a highly-ranked and
and proving that the Mavericks
skilled team. The Mavericks did
are better than the No. 7 rating
overcome tough odds last weekin the region that was bestowed
end, why can’t they do it again.
upon them. But most important“We were just playing free
ly, it’s about doing something
against UMD,” Stamer said of
in the first round of the tournatheir tough opponent last weekment that she has never done as
end. “We weren’t worried about
a Maverick: beat Concordia-St
losing, we just played our game.
Paul.
That’s the kind of thing we have
“They are the only team I’ve
to do again to get a win.”
never beat during my time here,”
Another big thing MSU will
Stamer said.
have to do is shut down the big
It’s crazy to think that in
girls for Concordia-St. Paul. The
Stamer’s career, where the
Golden Bears have two players
Mavericks have probably played who have achieved over 300
Concordia around 10 times, she
kills this season in Megan Carlhas never once came out victori- son and Kayla Koenecke, who
ous against them.
are fifth and seventh, respecBut this is not as surprising
tively, in kills in the NSIC.
when you consider
An even
the Golden Bears
more impresare the four-time
sive stat is
defending national
that Concordia
Concordia-St. Paul
champions.
holds down
When: 2:30 p.m. today not only the
So that’s what
the Mavericks
best hitting
Where: Kearney, Neb.
have in front of
percentage
them on Thursday,
as a team in
a chance to end Concordia’s
the NSIC, but has the top three
streak of consecutive national
ranking individuals in that area.
championships. MSU would
The Golden Bears rely on hitlove the glory in doing so, but
after-hit-after-hit to take down
as said before, easier said than
their opponents.
done.
“We will always have a
In their two previous meetdouble block on both of them,”
ings this year, Concordia won
Stamer said of Carlson and Koeboth matches, only losing one
necke. “We will also have to dig
set to the Mavericks. That set
and pursue every ball they hit.”
was the first lost set of the
So the match is all set, as
season for Concordia, as they
these two teams will face off
started out the season winning
at 2:30 p.m. today in Kearney,
30 sets in a row.
Nebraska in the opening round.
The Golden Bears were rated The winner will move on to face
No. 1 for most of the season up
the winner of No. 3 UMD and
until they were knocked off their No. 6 Wayne State, both teams
throne by the Minnesota-Duluth
MSU has beaten this year.
Bulldogs 3-2.
As for Stamer, her closing
After that they suffered
words on the team she has never
another crucial loss, falling to
defeated were short and sweet.
Wayne State 3-1. But as of late,
“This could be great reConcordia looks to be back to
venge.”
its old and normal self, as it

UP NEXT

angela kukowski • msu reporter
The Mavericks will need a full team effort to upset the four-time
defending champion Golden Bears.

Sports

Reporter • Page 11

Meet the Mavericks
Brendan Eichmann • Wrestling

Brendan Eichmann, a Hastings, Minn. native, enters the 2011-2012 season looking to top his freshman campaign that
took him to the national tournament. Eichmann finished with a 23-20 overall record last season, placed fourth at the
regional tournament and went 1-2 at nationals. Eichmann qualified for the Minnesota High School state tournament four
times, placing fourth as a sophomore and second as a junior and senior. Eichmann enters his sophomore campaign with
one goal in mind: to bring some hardware to MSU.
Q&A with sophomore Brendan Eichmann
Q: Talk about your high school wrestling career.
A: In high school I had a career record of 179-48. I started five years on varsity and was a five-time All-Conference
selection and Section All-Academic. I was a four-year state qualifier. I didn’t place as a freshman, was fourth as a sophomore and took second as a junior and senior.
Q: How did your recruiting process lead you to Minnesota State, Mankato?
A: I got recruited for wrestling and football by quite of a few colleges, but Coach Makovsky made me feel like I was at
home when I visited. Plus, I am a third-generation Maverick.
Q: What does it mean to be a Maverick?
A: Being a Maverick is huge for me. Everyday in everything I do, I know I am representing not only myself, but MSU as
an institution.
Q: Describe the mindset of a wrestler.
A: We are just like every other student-athlete. We practice, we do homework and struggle to have a social life.
Q: How does it feel to have to cut weight?
A: Wrestling tends to get a bad reputation for “cutting” weight. Really all that we do is make sure we are putting in our
bodies what our body needs to perform. Nothing more than that though, so that we can be in peak physical condition and
ready for a battle.
Q: Have you ever not made weight?
A: The only time I was close to missing weight was the Christmas Tournament my sophomore year in high school. My
high school coach scared the daylights out of me that morning; I’ve tended to be way under ever since then.
Q: What does your offseason workout consist of?
A: Most of my offseason is spent working to make money, but it also includes trips to the weight room and almost daily
runs. Wrestling is a demanding sport for your body, so you have to make sure that you keep it ready at all times.
Q: Talk about the National Tournament last season.
A: Being at the National Tournament last year was an awesome feeling. You work your whole life to reach that platform,
and I was finally there. I was disappointed not to place, but it has started a new fire for me this year.
Q: What are your personal expectations and team expectations?
A: My personal expectations are always way higher than what I expect from anyone else, because I am the only one that
I can control 100%. I expect to be back at the National Tournament, and this year to come home with some hardware.
As far as my team goes, I know we have a good team, but all I expect from them is to give their best and perform to the
extent of their abilities. We can be National Champions this year.
Q: What is going through your mind moments before your match?
A: Usually I have whatever song I decided to warm up to still rolling through my head and I start to visualize exactly
what I want to do in my match.
Q: What is your favorite inspirational quote?
A: “Winning isn’t everything, but putting forth the effort to win is.” -Vince Lombardi

-- Compiled by Cole Kukowski

A&E

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Local
Band
Spotlight

www.msureporter.com/arts-entertainment

Don’t forget to head to themsureporter.com to hear
this week’s edition of The Verbal Hearables Podcast.
This week Christian and Brian play with the word “Chaos.”
Listen as they romp through heaven, hell, mean children and
experimentation with modern cultural media!

neon and the
nobel gases
JAMES HOUTSMA | staff writer

A

major gas leak has
occurred in the greater
Mankato area. But fear
not. While those caught
in its path will ultimately
combust, it won’t likely
be into flames, but rather
a fit of toe tapping and
dancing. Local band The
Noble Gases has been blazing a trail all across the
Southern Minnesota area,
bringing their high energy,
infectious sound to many
local venues.
Originally started back
in 2006, purely as a homecoming band for Mankato
East High School, Neon
and the Noble Gases was
later revitalized in 2009 as
a recurring show.
Going through several
members over the years
and a recent name adjustment, The Noble Gases’
current lineup features
veteran member Garrett
Steinberg on keyboard and
vocals, Jessica Pritchett on
vocals, Forrest Kunkel on
guitar, Dan Nonweiler on
bass and vocals, and Justin
Tollefson on drums.
A cover band-by-and
large, The Noble Gases
main musical styling is
applying their soulful, high

energy, party sound to several classic rock hits like
“Saturday Night’s Alright
(For Fighting),” “Hard to
Handle” and “Come Together” as well as newer
favorites like “Poker Face”
and “Forget You.”
“I really enjoy seeing
them because they play
things from my generation, along with the more
current stuff,” said Sharon
Dieken, a regular attendee
of their shows.
Since their revamp, the
band has been steadily
picking up steam and making themselves known,
playing regular shows at
places like The Wow Zone,
Pub 500, The Wine Café,
Savoy, and Midtown Tavern, along with Southern
Minn. events and festivals,
such as Sanborn’s Watermelon Days and Mankato’s
Rib-fest. With shows just
about every week, on average, the group has had time
to become closely knit.
“In the beginning, we
would rehearse regularly.
Now (unless it’s a new
song) it’s to the point
where everything comes
together by playing in the
clubs. The playing gives us
fluidity,” band leader Gar-

rett Steinberg said.
With a majority of
the members involved in
classes (some of them even
music majors) and other
jobs, the band is content
for now to keep things
rolling along as they have
been, but not planning on
stopping their ascension
any time soon. Gases still
has plans for the future,
including writing more
original material, expanding to (and possibly a tour
into) surrounding states,
and playing new venues
like casinos and additional
old ones, like sports bars.
Since their Halloween
show at Pub 500 several
weeks ago, they have also
taken up the idea of regularly dressing in the time
period that their sound
often harkens back to; the
70s. They have also been
known to throw in some
funky, interesting introductions to certain songs,
just to keep the audience
on their toes as to what’s
coming.
So, if ever on a night
about town and in the
mood for a fun blast from
the past, you need not look
too far. The Noble Gases
is here for your listening

pleasure and this particular
cloud of vapors is ready to
show you just how “power-

books really have the capacity
to grab the reader nearly instantaneously and throw them
The Gender Bender Drag
into a world unlike their own,
Show was an 18+ show held on
with a different landscape,
Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. in the CSU
diverse cultures, a multitude of
Ostrander Auditorium, and was a
religions, and present a central
major success.
character that is utterly comThe show was two hours of upbeat,
pelling and complex. Last
scandalous fun which featured 18 acts.
year British author Paul
Tickets were in very high demand and
Hoffman’s The Left
sold out by the morning of the show.
Hand of God, the
There were six performers, which included
first of a trilogy,
Gosh Alice Jones, Jol D. Principle, Electra
was released,
Dupree, Jordan-X, Alexis Savage and Alecia
and it was
Moore.

staff writer

DR

AG

3
e1
ag
/p

• katie elms

one of those books that were
swallowed up quickly, and
once it was over, there was
an unquenchable hunger for
more, leaving only one option available; reread it.
Hoffman presents a world
governed by fear, fear of
the religious establishment
Sanctuary of the Hanged
Redeemer, a massive order
run by the Redeemers. They
cull children around the
globe, punish severely and
teach with the utmost discipline, turning these kids

HOFFMAN / page 14

T

Thursday, November 17, 2011

A&E

Reporter • Page 13

DRAG “Be good, but if you’re gonna be bad,
be good at it!” she said.
continued from 12
Drag shows started on Minnesota State University, Mankato’s
campus approximately 15 years
ago. Holding the Gender Bender
Drag Show at MSU allows students to confront gender in a fun
and liberating way. The proceeds
from the event help provide support to other LGBT center programs.
This was my first time attending
the show; I showed up 30 minutes
before the event started thinking
I’d be one of the first ones there.
I was sadly mistaken. There was a
line across the Centennial Student
Union and it looked like one of the
lines you would see outside stores
on the morning of Black Friday.
One of the students waiting in
line was sophomore Amelia Malakowski who was at the show for
the first time also.
“I am here for an extra credit
assignment in my health class,”

• katie elms

Malakowski said.
The host of the show was
the gorgeous Gosh Alice
Jones. She was very fun and
kept the crowd excited throughout the entire show. Not only was
Jones the host, but she also performed twice.
The first act was Jordan-X, who
performed and sang live to his
own song “Cut Throat.” Jordan-X
had three backup dancers, Kayla
Jain, Amanda Fischer and Samantha Taner. Jordan-X had a very
edgy costume with huge red spikes
on his shoulders. His single was
made available to download on
iTunes Oct. 25 and he is currently
working on three more songs to
release in the near future.
The next performer, Jol D.
Principle, does boy drag and was
one of the most popular with the
audience and was referred to as
“Mr. Heart of America Continental.” Principle had fierce dance
moves that got the crowd wanting
to dance right in their seats.
Once Alexis Savage got on
stage the dollar bills started to appear. The audience began tipping
the dancers in exotic ways. Some
had the performers taking the
dollar bills out of their shirts, and
some were lying upside down with
the dollars in their mouths.
Savage did an entertaining
performance to Pink’s song “Fun
House.” In a later performance,
Savage amped it up by kicking her
shoes off and dancing barefoot.
Alecia Morre always left the

tUnE-yArDs:
CHRISTIAN HAGEN

staff writer

t

UnE-yArDs frontwoman
Merrill Garbus is one of
the most uniquely talented musicians in modern
music. If listening to her
latest album, w h o k i l l,
isn’t enough to convince
you of this, take the time
to see her live, and you’ll
understand immediately.
The crowd at First
Avenue on Saturday, Nov.
12 was thin to start, but
tickets quickly sold out
at the door to see tUnEyArDs perform, along with
a few openers. By the time
the show started, the floor
was dense and excited.
First opener Pat Jordache elicited more than
a little confusion from the
room. The quartet sang
moody 80s rock tunes,

coming off like a bad
cross between Joy Division and Vampire Weekend with the eponymous
lead singer sounding
like Morissey crooning
through a Darth Vader
helment after a stroke.
More successful was
Minneapolis natives
Howler. The band could
very well become the
American version of The
Kooks, fun and poppy
and with honest-to-God
personality, a rare thing in
indie circles.
But of course, nothing
could truly prepare an audience for a tUnE-yArDs
show. Garbus is an extremely skilled performer,
playing all the drums on
her songs and providing
all the vocals by utilizing
loop pedals to capture and
present her complex arrangements. It’s a specta-

crowd wanting more. She busted
out flips, cartwheels, splits and
turns. Electra Dupree was referred to as “electrical” and
whipped out a chain that was part
of her costume and also used it as
a dancing prop. All of the performers at one point or another
went out to the audience to dance
down the isles and even gave a few
personal dances to eager individuals.
Gosh Alice Jones had several
fancy costume changes. She also
gave the crowd some information
about the LGBT center, and had
reminders for upcoming meetings and events. There was a post
drag show special that was 21+ at
the Red Sky Lounge. Jones left
the audience with some words of
wisdom.
“Be good, but if you’re gonna be
bad, be good at it!” she said.
She also went on to talk about
safe sex practices, and how important it is to frequently get tested
for sexually transmitted diseases.
Of course we’ve all heard this
advice before, but this was an
extremely fun way to reinforce
the information. She also brought
awareness to same sex marriages
and how it is not legal in Minnesota Bullying is also a common
issue in the community. Respecting others and especially ourselves

• katie elms

is the foundation for happiness and
acceptance.
“Love ourselves, each other,
and for pete sakes, let’s make this
world a better place,” she said.
After the show I had the privilege of sitting down and talking with Wesley Mills (Jol. D
Principle). Mills is the only male
entertainer in Minn. He studied
theatre at Hamline University. He
performs on the first Saturday and
third Friday of the month at the
Townhouse in St. Paul.
Mills started his performing
career in 2006. He started as a
backup dancer and one day he was
sick of doing backup and decided
he wanted to be the star of the
show. Advice Mills had for anyone
pursuing drag is to practice and
be aware of how much time and
dedication it takes to perfect their
craft.
His favorite part of doing drag
is that he gets to be someone else.
In his non-drag life he referred to
himself as kind of nerdy and quiet,
but Jol D. Principle is the exact
opposite. Mills referred to Jol D.
Principle as his alter ego.
“I kind of created a sex god,” he
said.

‘Killa’ show at
First Ave.

cle of modern technology.
However, all the technology only works because
of Garbus’s incredible
voice. Her explosive range
from throaty, masculine
shouts to beautiful, floating heights gives every
one of her songs a rich
texture; one blast from her
mountainous tones and the
whole room went wideeyed.
Even with a backing
band consisting only of a
bassist and two saxophone
players, Garbus was anything but soft; the performance of tUnE-yArDs’
recent single “Bizness” got
an entirely sold-out First
Ave. crowd literally jumping. It was truly a sight to
behold and a sound unlike
any other.

MONDAY

$1.50 Miller High
Life Bottles

TUESDAY

$1.50 Domestic
16 oz. Taps

WEDNESDAY
$3.00 Cocktails

(excluding RockStar)

$3.00 Beers

THURSDAY

$2.00 Domestic
Bottles 8 to Close

25 OZ. MUGS

$2.50 during Happy Hour ~ $3.50 from 8 to Close

(507) 625-9795

E
F R E U TS
515 S. Front Street, Mankato PEA N

Page 14 • Reporter

A&E

HOFFMAN “The Last Four Things
is the second book of the trilogy, and
adheres to all the right beats of a
middle chapter of a greater story.”

Thursday, November 17, 2011

DEALER “It’d probably be easier to get marijuana in
the res halls than it is alcohol,” Jensen said.
continued from 1

continued from 12

into obedient acolytes. The
power of the Sanctuary, and
the threat that one day they
will lash out against the
other nations of sin, make
it a most formidable foe.
In this Sanctuary is
Thomas Cale, a 14-year-old
with a penchant for being
defiant.
One horrific event Cale
walks in on forces him and
his friends Vague Henri
and Kleist, to run away
from the Sanctuary and
into a world they know
nothing of. Unfortunately
for Cale, he’s special to
the Sanctuary, and they set
out to reacquire him at any
cost.
The Last Four Things
is the second book of the
trilogy, and adheres to all
the right beats of a middle
chapter of a greater story.
First and foremost, Hoffman’s writing, which made
Left Hand of God so irresistible to put down, is
at full swing here. There’s
not a word wasted, with
each page full of detailed
and layered world building, mythology-heavy
exposition, character work,
bloody battles, clever war
tactics, betrayal and corruption, and twists to the
narrative every other chapter. It’s not a story that can
be anticipated, which gives
it a welcomed element of
surprise. When there’s a
battle scene, it comes to
vivid life. When there’s
backstory or mythology
that must be established,
it’s presented in such a way
that the reader is never
bored but instead engulfed
in the book’s history. And
the characters are richly
defined by their beautifully
described mannerisms,
dialogue, and thoughts.
The style is very cinematic,
funny, and dark, making it
a highly accessible read.
Secondly, as for any
trilogy, the stakes need to
be higher, the death toll

greater, and a dark and
uncertain ending is all
but guaranteed. The Last
Four Things fulfills its
obligation to this structure
dutifully. Cale is presented
with impossible choices,
and is given a revelation
early on of his true purpose
on earth, of his significance to the world and how
his very existence will
change history, completely

“Hoffman’s skill at
developing interesting characters and
engaging narration
makes this series one
of those ‘can’t-miss’
titles.”

earning him his moniker of
‘The Angel of Death.’
His story, and that of
his mates Vague Henri and
Kleist, are given the most
remarkable highs and most
devastating lows. And the
story’s darkness doesn’t get
any blacker than a coup inside the Sanctuary, carried
out in an operatic, brutal
scene reminiscent of The
Godfather Part II and Star
Wars – Episode III. There
is death on a grand scale,
and the stake is existence
itself.
These two books, The
Left Hand of God and The
Last Four Things, present characters that reside
very much in the gray zone,
neither fully good nor bad,
and because of that, they
are compelling. Hoffman’s
skill at developing interesting characters and engaging
narration makes this series
one of those ‘can’t-miss’
titles. An epic narrative
that includes prophecies,
war, religion, intelligent
characters, clever twists,
spectacular writing, and the
fate of the world resting in
the balance of the actions
of a teenage boy – what
could be more enthralling?

DZ, meanwhile, claims
to have not only bought
out of the dorms, but also
out of the bathrooms of the
CSU.
Though Jensen insists
that marijuana use is not
“any more important or
less important than any
other violation,” she does
see it as less of a priority than another common
substance.
“Say there’s a noise
complaint where there’s a
party going on where there
may be alcohol involved,
we would probably take
the alcohol first [before
a marijuana complaint],”
Jensen said.
According to Jensen,
alcohol violations usually
occur in parties with larger
numbers and more disruptive activity than in cases
involving marijuana.
“Generally with alcohol,
it’s initially a stimulant,
and people are going to
be louder, they’re gonna
be running around more,”
Jensen said. “They’re
gonna be more of an active
crowd that we need to address before three people
in a room smoking marijuana.”
“And if you’re gonna
talk about laws,” she con-

tinued, “marijuana usage is
a petty misdemeanor which
is essentially the same as a
parking ticket, where illegal alcohol use is a misdemeanor that can carry jail
time. So alcohol violations
are a higher level crime.”
Partially because of the
increased scrutiny on other
substances, JX prefers to
stick to marijuana exclusively.
“I puffed a cigarette
once, and I’ll never do it

“And if you’re
gonna talk about
laws,” she continued, “marijuana
usage is a petty misdemeanor which is
essentially the same
as a parking ticket,
where illegal alcohol
use is a misdemeanor that can carry jail
time. So alcohol violations are a higher
level crime.”

costs, including fines, are
a contributing factor to the
rise in drug use.
“It’d probably be easier
to get marijuana in the res
halls than it is alcohol,”
Jensen said.
DZ insists that he’ll stop
dealing when he’s done
with school and can live on
his own.
“It’s just temporary,
this ain’t a lifetime thing,”
he said. “When I got here
last year, I saw how easy
it was. And then I got my
own apartment, I was like
‘Why not?’ And I mean, I
don’t really make money,
but, I just see it like I get
to smoke for free. That’s
what I get out of it.”
JX tried to put the decision in perspective. “It’s
like this: If you’re selling drugs, and you’re not
making a profit off of it,
or you’re not doing it just
to smoke for free, there’s
no ‘getting rich’ selling
weed.”
Until then, DZ and
JX will keep selling and
smoking.
“It’s easy,” DZ said.
“There’s a good need for it,
people want it.”